How Matthew Gray Gubler Returned to ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’
The return of Matthew Gray-Gubler has been long awaited, and while it was initially teased as being later in Season 3 (Season 18 overall) of Criminal Minds: Evolution, he actually appears in Episode 3, which began streaming today.
Commenting on his return, he said, ““It’s a joy to get to tell stories with people you love so I will always cherish any moment, big or small, that I get to hug my Criminal Minds family or slip back into my dear friend Spencer’s oversized wingtips.”
The reason for his return was perfectly crafted. It was set up at the end of Episode 2 with the shocking death of Jennifer “JJ” Jareau’s (A.J. Cook) husband William “Will” LaMontagne, Jr. (Josh Stewart) from a fatal aneurysm, a spontaneous rupture of the inferior thyroid artery.
The “Time to Say Goodbye” episode follows JJ as she tries to hold everyone together, including her mother-in-law (played by Linda Lavin), who was a nightmare, and her two sons, Henry and Michael, as they prepare for Will’s funeral.
Of course, JJ got support from Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster), Penelope Garca (Kirsten Vangsness) and David Rossi (Joe Mantegna) but it was a special moment when Reid showed up at the funeral to offer his condolences.
He told JJ, “I’ll always show for you guys.”
It was shared that Reid’s supervisor at the State Department had previously worked with JJ, so he gave Reid the morning off to attend Will’s funeral.
That said, it’s no surprise that Reid made it a point to be there. He and JJ have long had a special connection. In fact, as far back as Season 1, it was obvious that Reid had romantic feelings for JJ and he took her on a date to a football game. At that point in time, JJ didn’t reciprocate. In fact, her feelings toward Reid could be described as maternal or leaning to older sister/younger brother.
But then things changed in the “Truth or Dare” episode in Season 14 when, while they were being held at gunpoint, JJ confessed to Reid, “I’ve always loved you. I was just too scared to say it before.”
Of course, they weren’t able to act upon it. JJ was married to Will with two sons, Henry and Michael, and Reid was their godfather.
Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, and Matthew Gray Gubler
Photo Credit: Michael Yarish/Paramount+
Then, in the Season 15 premiere, Reid saved JJ’s life after she was shot in a parking garage. When she was recovering, the two shared their feelings, this time with both of them admitting they were in love with each other.
But JJ made it clear that she also loved Will, so she and Reid put their feelings on hold and decided it was best to continue being friends.
That same season, Season 15, a love interest was introduced for Reid when Rachael Leigh Cook began recurring as Max on Criminal Minds. And then the series ended.
Photo Credit: Michael Yarish/Paramount+
The death of Will after 18 years of marriage doesn’t see JJ rushing into a new romance. Plus, Gubler is headlining the new CBS series Einstein in 2026, so he won’t be available for JJ and Reid to pursue any residual feelings they may have in Season 4.
